Sterling to fight for casino mitigation

Friday

Dec 20, 2013 at 8:44 AM

By Joshua Lyford ITEM CORRESPONDENT

STERLING — Selectmen have taken a stand in the battle over surrounding community designation with both the Cordish Company and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission over a proposed slot parlor in Leominster. The board on Wednesday voted to draft a letter directly to the state chairman of the commission.

The town has struggled to come to a surrounding community agreement with the Cordish Company and has been at odds over fair compensatory payment in relation to the slot parlor.

In November, the town was denied as having a "surrounding community designation" and the gaming commission told selectmen to try and reach an amicable agreement with Cordish on its own.

"They told us to go back to Cordish and negotiate in good faith," Selectman Ron Furmaniuk said. "Cordish basically said no thanks and gave us our original agreement."

Selectmen felt that the payment they were offered was not sufficient when considering the increase in road traffic. The board feels additional increase in burden on the town's first responders could be a real problem as well, and the town has factored that in to the agreement by way of a first responder reimbursement formula.

"I am not willing to give up our rights for anything," Furmaniuk said, "especially not the pittance of $5,000 that Cordish have given us. We are in the midst of a grave injustice to our town."

Selectman Robert Cutler agreed.

"We're being treated as a second class town as far as I'm concerned," Cutler said. "Maybe, we started out looking for more than we should have, but we have the right to stand up for the defense of our town. I firmly believe that this will harm the structure of our community."

Even though Sterling directly borders Leominster, Cordish Co. has taken a hard line stance on the surrounding community designation.

"Cordish believes that all traffic will come south from Route 2, and not North from Worcester," Furmaniuk said.

While no date was given, the letter will be sent to the Gaming Commission chairman, as well as state representatives and senators in the near future.

"To be told to go pound sand, that is unacceptable," Furmaniuk said. "The more I think about it, I get red in the face.